Recently, a growing tendency for cesarean birth has been noted both, in Poland and worldwide. Non-obstetric problems constitute a large part of indications for cesarean section. Many ophthalmologists and obstetricians still believe that high myopia, the presence of peripheral retinal degenerations, history of retinal detachment surgery, diabetic retinopathy, or glaucoma are indications for surgical termination of pregnancy. However, these recommendations are not evidence-based. The literature offers no proof that high myopia and previous retinal surgery increase the risk of retinal detachment during spontaneous vaginal delivery...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to report optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiographic findings in a patient with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). CASE REPORT: A 39-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with PIH, reported blurred and distorted vision at 5 days after an emergency cesarean delivery. OCT revealed a large serous retinal detachment (SRD) that included areas in the macula, along with an increased choroidal thickness noted in both eyes...

PURPOSE: We report here, the morphological characteristics of the retina and choroid in a patient with hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome, who was not aware of her pregnancy before visiting our hospital. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: The patient complained of visual disturbances in both eyes for a few days. Extensive serous retinal detachment and hyperreflective foci were observed in both eyes on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT)...

OBJECTIVE: High-risk pathologies for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in otherwise healthy pregnant females are not contraindications for spontaneous vaginal delivery. However, 74% of European obstetrician-gynecologist (OBGYN) respondents in 2008 recommended operative delivery for females at risk for RRD. This discrepancy is likely due to an older study suggesting a causal relation between Valsalva-like manoeuvres and RRD. The purpose of this study is to determine current delivery recommendations for healthy pregnant females with high-risk pathologies for RRD among Canadian ophthalmologists and OBGYNs...

There are many controversies among ophthalmologists and obstetricians regarding indications for caesarean section due to preexisting eye diseases. Many ophthalmologists still believe myopia, retinal detachment, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy to be indications for a caesarean section. There is a discrepancy between clinical practice and evidence-based medicine, as none of the published trials have reported any retinal changes after vaginal delivery This report provides information on the influence of physiological changes on eye diseases during the final stage of the delivery...

OBJECTIVE: To review case reports of retinal detachment in women with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. METHODS: Medline was searched for case reports of retinal detachment associated with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. Articles written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese and published between 1990 and 2010 were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 28 cases of retinal detachment were identified; 15 were associated with severe pre-eclampsia (3 of these probably had hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets [HELLP] syndrome), 9 with HELLP syndrome, 2 with eclampsia, and 2 with both HELLP syndrome and eclampsia...

A 27-year-old Hispanic female was admitted to hospital with fever, a sudden marked decrease in vision, and multi-organ failure shortly after preterm delivery by cesarean section for eclampsia. Her past history was significant for a spontaneous first trimester abortion and one live birth complicated by intrauterine growth retardation. She was found to have several focal brain infarcts, exudative retinal detachment, bilateral adrenal hemorrhage, renal insufficiency, hypertension and subsequently hypotension. Positive anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, and anti-B2 glycoprotein-I, as well as deranged coagulation profile and PTT mixing studies aided in the diagnosis of catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome...

The study was undertaken to develop an efficient system for prevention and treatment of ophthalmological complications at spontaneous delivery in parturients with peripheral vitreochorioretinal dystrophies and retinal dystrophic detachment. The paper considers the results of a 2-year follow-up of 188 women during pregnancy and puerperal period. No visual changes were revealed in all the cases after both spontaneous delivery and cesarean section (if there are obstetric indications). The findings suggest that timely detection and treatment of menacing types of peripheral vitreochorioretinal dystrophies and retinal detachment considerably reduce the rates of surgical delivery as shown by ophthalmological indications...

OBJECTIVE: To present various ophthalmologic disorders in a clinical series of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome cases. METHODS: This is a prospective clinical study performed between 2002 and 2005. One hundred seven HELLP patients attended in either Departments of Ophthalmology or Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean age was 25...

Retinal detachment is an unusual complication of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. It has been reported in 1% to 2% of patients with severe preeclampsia and in 10% of patients with eclampsia. Choroidal ischemia may be the cause of retinal detachment. We know that mild arteriolar spasm involving the bulbar conjunctival vessels has been observed in the normal pregnancy, but in pregnancy-induced hypertension the vasospasm may be severe and result in choroidal ischemia. Most patients with retinal detachment in pregnancy-induced hypertension have had full spontaneous resolution within a few weeks, and they did not have any sequelae...

In this article, we present two cases of bilateral retinal detachment in toxemia of pregnancy. The first case describes 31-year old patient admitted to hospital due to toxemia of pregnancy in the 38th week of the second pregnancy. Medical examination following admission showed blood pressure 180/130 mm Hg oedema of face and legs. Accessory investigations displayed proteinuria, leukocyturia, bacteriuria. At the fundus of eye the features of initial retinopatia hypertonica were discovered. On the fifth day of the patient's hospitalization because of the worsening of general health condition and sudden blood pressure increase, the pregnancy was delivered by cesarean section...

Management of labor and indications for abortion in patients with ophthalmologic diseases are discussed controversially in literature and are often overemphasized. We present a case of a pregnant woman with bilateral papilledema due to pseudotumor cerebri, because an abortion was in question. This case lead us to discuss indications for abortions in patients with pseudotumor cerebri, as well as indications for abortions or cesarean sections in patients with high myopia, retinal detachment, retinopathy in EPH-gestosis, uveal melanoma and diabetic retinopathy...

AIM: There has been concern that patients with high myopia are at a risk of developing retinal tears as they go through a spontaneous delivery. Therefore the aim of the paper was to examine retinal changes in the group of female patients with high myopia before and after delivery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eye examinations were performed before and after delivery in two groups of patients: 42 patients with high myopia and 4 patients with high myopia and retinal detachment surgery in one eye...

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to describe the incidence and effects of serious obstetric complications on maternal outcome in pregnancies complicated by HELLP syndrome. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was performed on 442 pregnancies with HELLP syndrome managed at this center from August 1977 through July 1992. RESULTS: Of 437 women who had 442 pregnancies with HELLP syndrome; 309 (70%) of the cases occurred ante partum and 133 (30%) post partum; 149 (11%) developed at < 27 weeks and 80 (18%) at term...